Course: Using a Flora

This 3-day intermediate botanical course is designed for anyone who would like to increase their confidence in working with a flora as a means of identifying and getting to know more about our wonderful yet dwindling heritage of wildflowers.

This course will cover:

• Recognition and naming of major parts of a plant, with reference to how they aid botanical identification.
• Understanding of how floral formulae can help recognition of plant families/genera.
• Use of botanical keys and other identification resources.
• Understanding that the need for accurate species identification is essential in identifying and classifying habitats.

The course relates to FISC (Field Identification Skills Certificate) levels 2-4.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Distinguish the flowering and vegetative parts of a range of taxa and identify a range of common plants to genus/species level using a botanical key, including members of the ten major plant families.
• Recognise and name the major parts of a plant; with reference to how they can be used in practical botanical identification (naming of parts and botanical glossary).
• Understand how floral formulae can help you to make accurate identifications, breaking down recognition into Families, Genus and eventually species (Particular reference on this course will be to the major plant families).
• Utilise a standard flora (e.g. Stace 2010/2019), with an understanding of how to use these keys more effectively.
• Understand that the need for accurate species identification is essential in identifying and classifying habitats.

Residential and non-residential booking options are available.

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use the discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.

Please refer to the Field Studies Council website for further information and to book.